After early disappointment, Utah’s wine industry took almost 130 years to establish a key fact – that quality wine can be produced here. Soon after the first Mormon settlers came to Utah in the 1860s, grapevines were planted. But wine production was soon abandoned, as the quality of wine grapes was substandard. However, in 1989 a new winery opened and produced 1,500 gallons of quality wine in its first year. Today, there are several small estate wineries producing both vinifera and hybrids. The vineyards are in mountain valleys, with elevations up to 6,000 feet. Winters here are cold, so winter kill and frost damage are real risks. Vines must be protected in the winter and the weather watched closely in spring and fall. The conditions in some areas are almost desert-like, so irrigation is also important. All in all, however, winegrowing in Utah is shaping up to be a promising and rewarding learning experience.